A notorious Montreal landlord is in court today to fight city fines for violating numerous health and safety violations at his apartment buildings.

Claudio Di Giambattista appealed and lost his bid to overturn a recent decision by the Quebec Rental Board. It ruled he had to pay former tenants $34,000 in damages. His buildings in the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough were run down and infested with vermin as well as mould. Tenants were forced out last spring.

"There were mice, cockroaches, there was water infiltration, balcony doors broken, they faced that situation during several months and especially faced his character and his bad attitude," said André Trépanier, a tenants rights activitst with the Park Extension Action Committee.

His attitude also apparently didn't impress the Rental Board which recently ruled he was a querulous litigant and can no longer open new files at the board without special permission.

Trépanier said the city has to crack down on landlords like Di Giambattista by enforcing the law.

``We are still complaining that if the media are not on the spot, the city is not acting as quick.``

Photos: Claude Beaulieu/CJAD archives